Flush-receptacle.



W. J. NEWTON.

FLUSH REGEPTACLB. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1000.

' I '1 r after-news Patented Mar. 28, 191.1.

UNITED strive-as ra rnnr on FlOE.

WILLIAM J. NEWTON, OF LYNBROCK. NEW YORK. ,ASSIGNOR 'IO METROPOLITAN i SWITCHBOARD COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLUSH-R-ECEPTAGLE.

Specification r To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I ll'inmaw J. Nnw'ron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lg'nbrook, in the county of Nassau and State 0 New York, have invented certain new" 'tllly convenient point.

In my prior Patent No. t ll,otS, issued April 6, 1909, l have et lorth a two-lmtton Wall'switch of such construction that the enttremsw-itch mechanism may be freely ih t' or slipped out ot' a. containing box or casingwi'tlmnt disturbing any circuit wire or connection, the switch mechanism .being mechanit'rally supported, and all the electrical connections established by spring blades or strips which engage with one another when the switch mechanism is inserted in the box or using. llhe present inven tion employs an arrangement oi this same general. type. and for purposes of illustra tion I have shown a box or casing similar to that ol my patent referred to, and which, as above stated, adapted to receive an ordinary two-button switch mechauisn'i (not shown in the present case) which can be slipped or slid Lt'reely into and out of said box. By the present invention I provide a device adapted to be slipped or slid into such box or casing; in lieu oi" the said switch Il'lBGlltllllSHn tllltl which is thereupon adapted to constitute a plug box or flush receptacle, and furtherimire, without requiring any change in the usual cover plate employed withthe switch box the origimil cover being merely to assmnbled in place after the above exchange has been completed.

With this object in view .my invention consists in the features of construction and combination as hereinafter set. forth and cla med.

'ettersl n Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 504,428.

In the drawings: Figure l is .1 front or face view of a flush receptacle embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 1, with the branch or extension plug in place. Fig. 4- is a side elevation of the branch or extension plug. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a device which is inerted in the switch box or casing in lieu of the switch mechanism to change the same from a wall switch to a flush receptacle.

lteterrinc to the drawings in whi h like parts are designated by the same referen e sign, 1 indicaes a box or casing in which the switch mechanism is adapted to be contained and which is received in a wall of a building; or other desired location. As stated in my patent, I prefer to construct the box l oi porcelain or insulating material thioughont, and of rectangular outline with a pair of clip or lugs: 2 projcctinglate ally from the edgi of its open side and having holes 3 to receive any ordinary screw or other fastening device. The clips 2 may be conveniently stamped from sheet metal. and securtal to the retaining box It by screws or rivets 4. sulntantiallyrm-tangular outline throughout} and near the tour cot-hen; 1 provide metallic fill'liln .tbt-nt right angularly in opposite directions at their respective ends, thereby f rming the ears or lugs and it". The cars it" rest against. the bottom ol the retaining box or against a ledge 1" near the bottom tl'iereo't' in which relation they are secured by the screws 9* which pass upward through the bottom of the box. The outer cars it have ordinary terminal screws 9 which are projected into and. are accessible through notches at the upper side edges of the box. The usual permanent. circuit wires or connectitnis ot the tutilding are therefore conveniently adapted to be led to those terminal screws and 'permanently fastened in engagementtherewith. It is of course obvious that; the two wires of the sup ly circuit will be connected on one side otfthe box and the two wires of the controlled eir cuit connected onthe other side of the box. Under thesecircumstamres the box is adapt ed to receive the switch mechanism sctforth -in my patent above referred to or any other it t) its Cit

switch mechanism of the same class without any additional circuit connections, all of the latter being made by the insertion of the switch mechanism in the box.

denotes the usual-cover plate which has openings 11 through which the usual' operating buttons of the switch mechanism protrude.

12 indicate screws by which the cover plate is attached to the clips 2.

ll; designates a block which may be made of hard rubber, porcelain, fiber or any insulating; material or composition and of generally rectangular outline corresponding to the shape of the interior of the box 1.

15 are spring blades fixed to the four corners of one end or face of the block let and bent so that their main portions extend parallel with one another along two opposite side faces of the block. In this relation these spring blades are adapted to co tact with the strips 9 which, as stated, are located at the four interior corners of the box 1. It. is evident that a good mechanical support of the block and a good electrical connection between said strips and the spring blades is established in this simple way. The spring blades are connected together in pairs corresponding to the connections which would. be established by the switch blades of the switch mechanism, and this may be done in any desired way. I prefer, however, to make use of the structure shown and which includes two small L-shaped plates 17 which lit into comparatively deep recesses of corresponding outline at the lower end face of the block 141. In this relation these plates are secured by bolts 18 which pass through the block 1 3: and additionally serve as securing devices for the spring blades 15, the latter being thereby clamped against the plate 17 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The spring blades are therefore connected together in diametrically opposite pairs and Z t the same time the two extensions 17* and 17 of the respective plates 17 are broughtinto vertical alinement with the two axes on which. the usual operating but tons of the switch mechanism are located.

20 denotes cavities within the block M and respectively centered on the two axes just above referred to.

21 denotes protuberances of the block .14 also centered with respect to the beforc-incn-- tioned axes and of cylindrical outline genes ally corresponding in form and position to the buttons of the switch mechanism.

denote channels or passages extending through the pretuberances "3i and into the cavities 20. These channels a re best made of ilat or rectangular transverse section as shown in Fig. 1.

.Vithin the cavities 20 I provide spring tongues 24. formed of spring metal strips bent into the U-shaped outline shown and secured to the portions 17 and 17 of the plates 17 by small bolts 25. ,It will be re d- 1ly seen from the foregoing that the 8pm g tongues 24- constitute the twopoles of the supply circuit when the block is in place in "o the box or casing 1, and this regardless of which way around said Hock is inserted in said box. I

26 denotes a plug formed with an ornamental or, other base 537 and two metallic projecting prongs 28 which are connected within the plugv to cord or extension .WIIQS Q9. The form and location of the prongs 28 are such that they enter the channels 22 of the block 14 and pass between the exso tremities of the spring tongues 20 which are separated to make a good slidin' electrical connection.

The change from a switch mechanism to a plug receptacle can be made at any time whenever desired, it being merely necessary to unscrew the cover plate and then sli the appropriate devices respectively out o and into place.

In initially furnishing a building with electric fixtures the present invention is particularlyconvenient, since theboxes 1 are permanent 1y fitted into the wall in all cases and at all points throughout the structure,

and the adaptation may be made after the completion of the building for wall switches or flush receptacles to supply any particular purpose. It will be particularly observed that although the same cover plate is emplo ed in either case, still the appearance is not ess considered as a permanent fixture in the in- 106 stallation; or in other words, the; pro-designed and exclusive manner of use.

\Vhat I claim, is 1. The combination of a wall switch box having a casing, conductive members therein 110 and a cover therefor, with a block having conductive members adapted to make electrical connection with the conductive memocrs in they box when the block is inserted thcreinto. the cover aforesaid having two spaced apertures therein arranged in predetermined positions corresponding to the spaced operating; buttons with which such switches are usually equipped, and the block having channels therein leading toward the said apertures when the block and cover are in assembled relationship, said block also ha ring within its interior contact making elements accessible from the outside of the box, through said apertures and channels,

said contact making elements being in elecess,01s 1 8 box or casing of st wall switch in lieu of the ating buttons of said switch mechanism. 10 usual switch mechanism and comprising a In witness whereof, I subscribe my signablock having exterior spring blades mhtptetl 1 ture, in the presence of two witnesses. 5 to establish electrical Connections within the 1 WILLIAM J. NEXVTON.

2. A- device adapted to be inserted in the I and located to correspond to the usual operl i Vitnesses:

WALDO M. CHAPIN, VVILLIAM G. LARY.

box; said block also having spring tongues within its interior and having protuberanees with channels extendmgtoward said tongues 

